Kwara records first case of monkey pox in Edu LG

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Kwara

Kwara State Ministry of Health on Thursday confirmed the first case of monkey pox in the state. 

This follows rigorous efforts of the surveillance and response team that had been activated since the index case was reported in the country in March, 2022.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq confirmed this in a statement in Ilorin, the state capital.

The statement said: “The first confirmed case in Kwara State involves a 29-year-old Nigerian driver who developed symptoms of fever, generalised rash, and weakness in the last two weeks and had been under our surveillance

“There were contacts with the wife and four neighbours with similar symptoms where he lives at Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State. All of which have been resolved by the health team.”

The statement stated that the patient has been on admission in the last one week because of suspicion of monkey pox. He has also been under strict monitoring by the surveillance and clinical team.

The patient is improving and stable in the ward, the statement said, adding that the government’s team has similarly begun health facility and community case search/contact tracing.

The commissioner said there is also ongoing training and retraining of health workers to strengthen government’s response to the development.

He noted that the Ministry of Health is also notifying the appropriate agencies, especially the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, of the development.

He enjoined members of the public to step up efforts at personal and community hygiene as they work together to fight the disease.

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